Jurists March in Protest of Recent Attacks

Jurists of the Istanbul Bar Association on Wednesday marched from the Bar building in Beyoglu district to the historic Taksim square of the city in protest of the recent attacks on the State Council and Cumhuriyet daily.

Dressed in academic robes and wearing black ribbons on their collars, approximately one thousand lawyers, judges and prosecutors shouted slogans in defence of secularism and democracy on the way to the square where a statement was read out at in front of Republic Monument.

"We are aware of the threat", "hands reaching out to justice should be broken", "independent Turkey, Independent Justice" and "Turkey is secular, will remain secular" were some of the slogans that dominated the rally in defence of the republic and democracy.

The procession waved posters of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataurk, Turkish flags and carnations as slogans of "we won't fall into the trap of imperialism" were also heard. The protestors were applauded on the way to Taksim square by bystanders.

At the square itself, gathering in front of the Republic Monument, the jurists held a moment of respect before signing the Turkish national anthem. Istanbul Bar Association president Kazım Kolcuoglu then laid a wreath at the monument before delivering a speech pledging to defend a secular and democratic Turkey.

Kolcuoglu stressed that foreign powers and their collaborators at home has always attempted to weaken the country and create instability and said that as jurists, "we are people who are determined to rapidly march forwards and take the country... to better days". He said jurists in the country would always be on the side of secularism and the judiciary that accepted and enforced secularism. (EO/II/YE)